Records of Parochlus steinenii in the Maritime Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions

• Published in: ZooKeys
• Main Authors: Melisa Gañan, Tamara Contador, Javier Rendoll, Felipe Simoes, Carolina Pérez, Gillian Graham, Simón Castillo, James Kennedy, Peter Convey
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pensoft Publishers 2021
• Subjects: Zoology; QL1-991; Antarctic; Cape Horn; South Shetland Islands; The Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1011.56833; https://doaj.org/article/b4f4673ab29442b0b9556a22ea04b9f2

This study provides the summary of the reports of the geographical distribution in the Maritime Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions of Parochlus steinenii (Gercke, 1889) (Diptera, Chironomidae), the only flying insect occurring naturally in the Antarctic continent. The distribution encompasses the South Shetland Islands (Maritime Antarctic), South Georgia (sub-Antarctic), and parts of the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR, southern Chile). In total 78 occurrence records were identified, 53 from our own records, 19 from the literature, and six from other data present in GBIF. Of the 78 records, 66 are from the South Shetland Islands, eight are from South Georgia, and four from the CHBR. This database was developed as one of the main objectives of two Chilean-funded research projects addressing understanding the effects of climate change on sub-Antarctic and Antarctic insects. It provides dataset documenting the distribution of Parochlus steinenii in the Maritime Antarctic, the sub-Antarctic, and the CHBR in southern South America (Chile). The complete dataset is available in Darwin Core Archive format via the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).